Noodles
by RenaRoo
Summary: Master Tigress knows she does not deserve the gifts awarded to her by the Dragon Warrior, but some are too special for her to resist. Po only wishes she would tell him if she enjoys his Noodle Soup.


I have only written fanfictions for Pokemon and Ninja Turtles I must admit and I have only published the latter for on here so this is a bit of a new experience for me. But I loved Kung Fu Panda enough that I thought I would give this one a bit of a try.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it!

Kung Fu Panda, Po, Master Tigress, Master Crane, Master Viper, Master Mantis, Master Monkey © Dreamworks  
story © Turtlefreak121

**Noodles**

There is legend of the greatest great warrior who mastered all of the fine arts of Kung Fu. It was when he mastered all these arts and defeated all of his enemies that the Awesome warrior turned to a journey throughout all of China. He quest to master all the mastering he had yet to master.

He soon found that two of these arts were the delectable art of making the Greatest Secret Recipe Noodles in all of China and winning the heart of the warrior who had inspired his greatness to begin with, a beautiful she-warrior.

In his Epic Awesomeness, the great warrior toiled day and night, learning from his Master Noodle Maker how to make the most delicious noodles in all of the lands. But none of them pleased the lovely warrior.

"No!" she said as she turned the noodles away. "I shall not eat them!"

But the warrior did not give up, for he knew that all he lacked was the Secret Recipe. At last, he begged for the Noodle Master to give him the recipe. To the warrior's surprise, he found that it did not exist. But what could he do without a secret recipe?

* * *

"Mmm!" Viper hummed as she ate more of Po's delicious noodle soup.

Po laughed as he poured more of his cooking into Master Crane and Master Monkey's barren bowls. It still pleased the Dragon Warrior to no end to see how much his friends at the Jade palace loved his soup. It was something that was much more comforting than his original impressions of the Furious Five, his idols.

Friendship and kindness was much more appreciated than hate.

"You guys better slow down," Po warned with a grin. "We're halfway through the pot and I haven't gotten to eat any yet! I'd have to make a whole other pot at this rate. Not to mention, Master Tigress has not arrived yet."

Mantis coughed into his filler at the mention of Tigress' absence. It was well known among the Five and even Po, though he denied it, that Tigress would not be caught dead eating any of Po's cooking.

"Well, if you had to make another pot, Po," Crane explained candidly, "it would well be worth it!"

"I could eat the next pot on my own!" Monkey exclaimed as he gulped down his refill.

Politely, Viper used her tail to curl around a napkin that she then used to dab the corners of her mouth. Her elongated stomach felt warmed and filled with the generous supply of food her new friend had just fed her. "You were right about what you said before, though, Po," she admitted.

"Yeah!" Mantis agreed before slurping a noodle of his own. "I wouldn't have believed it at the time, but that Secret Recipe really did make the soup better!"

Knowingly, Po at last poured himself a bowl of soup and smiled at the plain noodles, broth, and vegetables that he had been taught to make since he could walk. He would have never guessed in all of his years of watching his father cook that the Secret Recipe could be so simple.

And Po certainly would have never fathomed that the Secret Recipe was _nothing_.

"Yeah, well," Po responded before drinking the entire bowl in what appeared to be one gulp. "I always knew my Dad could make the best noodles ever. I wouldn't have been able to cook quite like him until he told me what it was that he added to it."

In agreement, the four present members of the Five nodded earnestly to Po's analogy and they drank from their soup bowls. Once everyone present was refilled, only one bowl remained empty at the end of the short table.

Po frowned as the others wasted no time in beginning their feast. He stared at the last bowl and knew that Master Tigress would not be joining their feast that evening. It was sad but not all together unexpected. Still, it caused Po's stomach to seemingly ice over.

Not to mention, if fate twisted itself and she did come, there were only a few helpings of noodles left in the pot.

He wished that Master Tigress would give his noodles a chance. He wished that she would give **him** a chance.

With a sigh, Po took the pot and hung it over the lit embers to keep it warmed. Covering the pot with its lid, Po grinned back at his present friends and reassured him that he was alright in the wake of Tigress' absence. They eased back.

"Best keep the noodles warm in case anyone wants to come back on their own for fourths or fifths," Po amusedly explained.

"I would, Po," Mantis said regrettably, "but I'm already pretty sure I've ate four times my bodyweight by now!"

Monkey leaped down from his own chair and allowed for a comparatively lethargic Mantis to leap to his shoulder. "I am full as well, Po," he explained. "Thank you!"

"Yes, thank you, Po!" Viper agreed as she slithered down. "You really should not have gone through all that trouble."

"Yeah, well, I'm glad you did," Crane smiled before heading out with the others. "Time for bed."

Checking on the temperature of the pot one more time, Po looked to his leaving friends and met their questioning looks. "Bed. Got it! Will be right there," he promised before throwing everyone's dishes into the wash pile and heading out after them.

…

In the midst of the night, the tiger striked and easily feasted upon her gathered prey. Where once her actions would have caused her to feel weak for not being able to withstand physical pleasure, she could deny her taste buds no longer.

Master Tigress, as she did each night after Noodle Night, ate the leftovers of Po's delicious soup. She was thoroughly addicted to the sensations her mouth would feel and share with her throat and stomach. The soup was truly like nothing she had ever eaten before.

She ate until there was nothing left in the pot and she then sighed.

Truly this Special Ingredient was something magical that only Po's family knew. She wished she could cook it for herself, but there was no chance. There was no way anything that Master Tigress did could measure up to the skills of the Dragon Warrior.

She did not know the secrets which made Po so great. And furthermore, she would not blame Po for never wishing to share them with her, especially in light of how she continued to reject his generous giving.

Still, she abstained from eating Po's soup to the knowledge of the others in the Jade Palace. She was still the respected Master Tigress.

It could not be known that she caved to the pressures of her pallet nor could it be known that she squirmed within herself in quest for what it could be that made Po and noodles so special, so unobtainable. It was already known that Tigress was undeserving of either of their presences.

Despite this, she wished she could know what to do.

…

The time had come yet again for Po to begin preparations for the great Noodle Night feast. The Jade Palace's resident warriors immediately made their ways to the kitchen with the exception of two: the two most noted and respected figures within the walls.

Carefully, the Dragon Warrior made his way to the pavilion where Master Tigress' calls could be heard throughout her training. Her practiced, skilled movements mesmerized Po and he felt his shoulders loosen like his own noodles while his jaw slackened.

He loved watching Master Tigress practice, but it had increasingly become difficult for him to catch it. He almost felt like she was hiding her practicing from him.

But that would not make much sense. He might be the Dragon Warrior but it was still pretty unanimous among people that Tigress was by far the greater Kung Fu Warrior in the sense of actual Kung Fu.

"Master Tigress!" he spoke up before heading toward her.

She straightened after a successful kata and looked to him with a peculiar expression, one that asked why he was there while reading that she despised nothing more than the fact that he had actually caught her during her precious training time.

"Uh…tonight's Noodle Night," Po explained nervously, twiddling his fingers. "I didn't…know if you remembered. Y'know…from when I told you…a few hours ago." He felt squimish under the continued glare. "But, uh… I thought I'd tell you because you've missed it the past few…ten…every time. It's good soup, though! My dad finally told me the recipe! So…yeah. You should at least try it."

Tigress stared at him before placing her fist against her open palm and bowing to Po. It was what she had done for their parting every time they parted ever since she had accepted him as the Dragon Warrior. It was a great honor to receive it from her.

"Your offer is kind, Dragon Warrior," she said stiffly as she straightened. "But I must refuse your kindness. I do not deserve to partake in the events."

Po frowned and rubbed the arch of his neck confoundedly at this. It was not the response he had expected and now, in light of it, he was thinking a simple No would have been easier to digest. "Well…that doesn't make much sense. I mean, you're Master Tigress! What don't you deserve?"

"From the Dragon Warrior who I denied and tormented?" she questioned, causing Po to back off at her intensity. "I deserve nothing for my actions. As for the noodles, I am certain that they are delicious, but I cannot take them. It would be disrespectful. I have not earned that privilege from you yet."

"Yeah you have," Po argued. "I'm giving it to you."

Shaking her head, Tigress left, heading toward her room. "It is not enough, Po. It never will be. I do not deserve the Special Ingredient."

…

Creeping to the set out pot, Master Tigress anxiously opened it only to see that it was completely empty. All gone. There was not even a drop of broth to taunt her tastes with. She could not believe that there were no leftovers this time.

She turned back, wishing she had taken the chance before to get them during the Noodle Night dinner.

But how she could she after refusing Po like that?

If only she knew what the Secret Ingredient was that provided the divide between she and Po, shattering their chances of ever becoming equals in skills, virtues, or even cooking capabilities. If only she knew what it was.

Then she would be able to train and better herself beyond all others' beliefs.

* * *

Because the greatest warrior of all of China was the absolute greatest that there ever was and mastered many arts, he knew that he would not only be able to master the Culinary Arts but also master the heart of the beautiful mistress that he had always loved.

He knew that the Secret Ingredient of his master chef's noodles was the very reason that so many had come to love the noodle soups, but he also now knew that they did not actually exist. Therefore, the warrior had been a master of making the Noodles for some time now.

So why then did the Mistress not like his soup as much?

The warrior devised a plan and one day he told his love that noodles which she loved so much and their Secret Ingredient were in his own noodle and therefore he could cook them just as well if not better than the Master Chef before him. She was immediately in love with the idea of having some of his Noodle Soup now.

Enthusiastically, she came and ate all the soup she could. At last, she looked to the warrior and praised him. "You are indeed the master of all art forms! These noodles are greater even than what your master before you could have accomplished. You must share with me what the Secret Ingredient is! What makes you and your soup so amazing?"

After some time, the warrior decided to tell her, uncertain of what her reaction would be.

* * *

After much debate, Po decided that the best thing he could do at this point was to knock. It had taken him longer to decide to make his way to the screen door of Master Tigress' room but the resistance to knocking, even after the decision had been made, was almost too great for him. He began bouncing back and forth on his feet. "Ohhh ohhhh… Okay… Okay…Here I go… I'm knocking…I'm knocking… I'm knocking…"

Reaching forward, Po's hand was ready for contact but paused. He quivered under the tension. He wanted to knock. He did not want to knock.

He clutched the bowl in his other hand shakily and bit his lip. Closing his eyes tightly he threw his head back and moaned, willing his body to perform the task. "C'mon, Po! C'mon, Po! **Come on, Po!** C'mon!" he pleaded with himself.

He never noticed the screen opening on its own.

"Knock. Knock. Knock," he ground his teeth, screwing his eyes tighter. His hand trembled at the command it refused to take.

Master Tigress glared dully at him. "Po."

"Knock, Po! Darnit! Knock!" he growled with himself.

"Po."

He shook his head and bit so hard on his lip he yelped at the pain of it. He was getting himself upset. He needed a cookie. He needed support. He needled noodles… "Just…C'mon, Panda Boy! Knock on the door. Just knock on the door! Just do it! Just—"

"Dragon Warrior!" Master Tigress growled sharply.

"Huh?" Po released before opening his eyes cautiously and seeing Master Tigress posed in front of him with a quirked brow and hand on her hip. He grinned in utter embarrassment. "Hey, Master Tigress…beautiful morning, huh? ...I like it alright…it's a…Great view from the Jade Palace, y'know? …Right?" She blinked unamused at him. He rubbed his neck with his freehand. "Right…"

"What do you want, Po?" she asked with little patience.

"I was just…y'know…in the…neighborhood…of the hallway… I don't know… Hadn't seen you come out yet… There wasn't any breakfast left so… I thought I would bring you something… y'know…to eat… for food… Incase you were…" he tapped his fingers together nervously, "…hungry."

"I do not deserve the concern of the Dragon Warrior," she reminded him before looking to the bowl in his hand. "But if you had no leftovers…what is that?"

Blinking, Po looked down to the bowl. "Oh, right! This. Well, I know you say you won't try it, but this is actually a bowl of my family's Secret Recipe Noodles. It's actually really good and my dad told me the secret so… I dunno. Thought I was doing a pretty good job with it." He slowly looked up to her, attempting to see her reaction, though she was not allowing herself to give one. "Everyone else really likes it...and once you know the recipe it's easy to make so…thought you might…try it."

Closing her eyes and hanging her head, Master Tigress sighed at Po's generosity. "I simply do not deserve it, Dragon Warrior. Anything you offer me I will not deserve. We are not equals, we cannot give and receive gifts frivolously. The Dragon Warrior is special. And the Special Noodle Soup is too delicious, special, I do not deserve it."

Dumbfounded by his realization, Po's mouth hung open and he pointed toward Master Tigress with great surprise. He then smiled knowingly. "So **you're** the one who keeps eating the leftover soup in the kitchen!"

Realizing her slip of tongue, Master Tigress' eyes opened wide and she shook her head vehemently. "No! No… I…"

Amused, Po chuckled. "And here I had been blaming Mantis and Monkey for all this time. I had been worried that you had not tried it either!"

Embarrassed and regretful, Master Tigress surprised Po again by bowing before him with great humility marked on her face. She was devastated by her own actions. "Forgive me, Dragon Warrior…I did not take your generous offers but enjoyed your gifts anyway. There is no excuse."

Before Master Tigress knew what to do, a bowl of steaming, warm noodles was in front of her again. She looked to Po and saw his gentle smile looking down at her.

"I think you've got it all wrong, Tigress," he explained as he handed her the bowl. "The only thing I want is for you to give my soup a chance."

She scowled slightly. "But it is a special soup. A Special Noodle Soup made by the Dragon Warrior. I should not deserve it."

He shrugged. "I think if I told you the ingredients you would find that it is not all that special, Tigress. Sometimes the most special things in the world are simple. Noodles. Soup. Me."

Eating the soup, Master Tigress smiled as the wonderful taste ran down her throat like rain collected on a window seal. She wished it would be slower so she could taste the broth for even longer. It was special, she was sure of it. She still wished she knew the ingredient.

"So…" Po grinned, "What do you think?"

"I believe," the erect tiger sighed, "that I need to give this Simple Special Noodle Soup a chance… It is special, even if you say it isn't." She looked to him. "Is there anything else I should be giving another chance?" she baited.

"Well," Po shrugged with a smirk, "I mean, I'm no expert or anything… But uh… there's a few other special things that you could investigate…Like…people maybe."

"Hmm, I see," Tigress replied. "I think I shall start with a certain chef and Panda."

"Yeah," Po smirked. "I heard he would like an opportunity like that."

* * *

At that time, there was nothing left that the great warrior wished to accomplish. In all of China he had mastered all arts and in his last exercise he had found all that he had ever wanted. The warrior's quest was complete and his destiny fulfilled.

He had discovered the ingredients to Love and Noodles.

* * *

The End


End file.
